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Notes From the Garden

Notes from the Garden

Time to Harvest Herbs

By Madeleine Wilde

Jul 28, 1998 -- With the delicious heat of the summer upon us, the first big harvesting routine is centered on the gathering and drying of the herbs in our gardens. This activity rewards us by giving back the scent of our summer gardens in the depths of the cold winter months.

It is best to gather the stems early in the morning while the oils are still concentrated in the leaves. Use a sharp cutting motion to seal the stem and lay out the cut stems in small groups for later bundling. If the plant has an awkward shape after these cuttings, shear it into a pleasant form, for it will soon put out new growth, which can be used later in the season for more gatherings. However, it is important to stop shearing these plants at least four to six weeks before the first hit of cold weather so that the new growth will have had a chance to harden off for the winter.

I usually strip off the bottom third of the cuttings which removes any yellow or damaged leaves. This also makes the bundling effort ever so much easier for now I have a clear place to wrap the stems with a rubber band. After wrapping the bundles, hang them upside down in a dark, warm but not hot, dry space. Air should be circulating around the herbs, so a closet fails as a good drying space. The garage is often recommended, but I shudder at the thought of mixing exhaust fumes with my cooking, so I use a spare bathroom with the caveat that no showers or baths are to be taken while the herbs are drying. Attics and basements have been recommended, but I find them too musty and too far away for the attention required to insure a successful harvest.

When the leaves crumble easily, it is time to strip them off the stems and package them in small glass jars with clear and appropriate labels. When stripping, try to keep the leaves whole in order to retain more flavor. This drying process is different for each herb, so it is important to check the bundles every other day. Also, for the larger and thicker leafed herbs, such as sage, the drying process goes much better if the leaves are removed from the stem and placed on an elevated wire rack rather than bundled. And I usually spread out all the dried leaves, including the smallest ones like dill, onto paper and leave them overnight just to insure that no dampness remains to spoil the harvest.

Once you have the pleasure of cooking in winter with your summer herbs, a whole new world opens up to you: the idea of extending your plantings; of finding new sources; or perhaps finding out more about the medicinal use of these plants or making exotic satchets; the lists can be as bountiful as your harvest. Either the Herb Society of America (216-256-0541) or the book The Herb Gardener by Susan McClure (ISBN 0-88266-910-9) are great broad-spectrum resources for this many-faceted world of herbs.

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J.C. Whorton	Jul 20, 2004	Siloam Springs, Ar.	semi-retired
I would very much like to know the approx. time to harvest the herb Sage. Can you help me with that. I do live in Humid area in the N.W. Corner or Arkansas.